Got to dive a Gorski Helmet yesterday

[txgoose]

This is still in basic because I had two tenders and zero helmet skills of my own.

The Houston Police Department Dive Team did a demonstration for a youth group I am involved with. After a presentation, they invited the youth to dive a couple pieces of their gear. (all participants are OW certified or better.) A full face mask, back mount system and the tethered G2000SS (I believe). The adults were also invited to dive if we wanted. I knew that an opportunity for me to dive in a helmet were probably few and far between, so I was all in. And it was a blast. Likely never happen again.

Observations:
# I didn't get claustrophobic but there is a definite sensation of being in an enclosure that might take some doing to get out of if you ever got spooked.
# The helmet was dang near flood proof.
# Talking while underwater was logically easy but instinctively a decent challenge for the first little bit. Was part of the fun once the urge to resist passed. Comms with the topside was just different.
# The tunnel vision was much more pronounced than with a regular diving mask (realizing that regular diving mask might be hard to define).
# I did not keep track of my supply line. In a pool, on a short dive, with an in-water tender, it was a non-event. For a blackwater diver in confined spaces and around other obstacles it could quickly become life threatening.
# The pony/bailout bottle (al40) for the helmet rig was run off of an older Conshelf XIV first stage. When folks ask about older regs, they can know that the pros are trusting and using some well maintained antiques.

Really unique and different dive. Many thanks to the HPD Dive Team for their service as well as their community outreach.

 

[dewdropsonrosa]

Does that helmet mate to a suit or have some other kind of seal?

 

[txgoose]

It probably comes in different forms. This one had a neoprene neck seal with a SS plate on it. After we put on the neoprene seal, then the helmet mated to the SS plate on the neck seal. We just dove in our swimsuits and the neoprene sealed against our bare necks.

 

[211ratsbud]

Why gorski whyyyyyyyyy.

You need to find a kirby. Get in a kirby. Lol

Commercial diver by trade, you should swing a hammer and turn a wrench when you're there. Humbling experiences when done for any length of time.

It's cool that they let you do this, a truly rare opportunity.

 

[txgoose]

Commercial diver by trade, you should swing a hammer and turn a wrench when you're there. Humbling experiences when done for any length of time.

That was why I mentioned the supply/comms line and not keeeping track of it. And that is but one tiny little piece of the whole puzzle. The loss of leverage. The weight of everything. You all definitely get major props from me.

 

[Pullnglide]

Why gorski whyyyyyyyyy.

You need to find a kirby. Get in a kirby. Lol

Commercial diver by trade, you should swing a hammer and turn a wrench when you're there. Humbling experiences when done for any length of time.

It's cool that they let you do this, a truly rare opportunity.

I wasn’t in a helmet but I’ve experienced the joys of “working” underwater. I worked on a 2 year river project where we pulled @50k of steel off the bottom from bridge forms that were just cut lose and allowed to fall. Vis was always about 5’ on a good day. We had no access to a crane so everything was raised with lift bags. Many of the beams were about 20’ or more in length and half of them were buried in sand requiring quite a bit of work to remove them. The state would not allowed us to just cut them off. Some of them weighing up to 800lbs. We cut large diameter trees and cut several steel cables @ 2” in diameter all by hand. All of the work was done in 20-25’ of water which wasn’t bad however most of it was done shortly downstream of a small dam that always flowed so we were usually holding onto something with our legs and working with hands. This is nothing compared to real commercial divers however it was my experience. I will say it made me a hell of a lot better diver than I was before I started on the project. My apologies for going off topic, sounds like the OP had a great experience!

 

[txgoose]

My apologies for going off topic, sounds like the OP had a great experience!

No offense taken. I liked the story. Sounds crazy tedious.

 

[kelemvor]

Luckyyyy. I'd love to dive a helmet someday. The whole "work" part... not so much. But I'd like to try the gear!

 

[txgoose]

Luckyyyy. I'd love to dive a helmet someday. The whole "work" part... not so much. But I'd like to try the gear!

For any dive geek, it would be worth some amount of effort to get to do it. probably not life changing for anyone but definitely unique.

And yes, I did get a bit of hebejebies thinking about doing the blackwater working parts. I suspect the “clear” water work is demanding as heck itself.

 

[Akimbo]

For those who have no idea what a Gorski hat is:

Gorski is owned by Aqualung.